


Magic Kingdom Circa '79

by shiplizard



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: DisneyWorld, F/M, Gen, Immortal PTSD, fathers and sons, mothers and sons, the Morgan family - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 12:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5128367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiplizard/pseuds/shiplizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The year is 1979. Abe Morgan is 35, freshly divorced, and miserable-- so where do his parents take him but the happiest place on Earth? </p>
<p>Written for the Castle Hiatus' spinoff 'Forever' Contest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Magic Kingdom Circa '79

Abe had grumbled most of the way through the line; most of the morning, if he was being honest. His parents seemed relieved.  Apparently a grumbling son was still better than a miserable, sad-sack son who occasionally tried to call his ex-wife at three in the morning. He'd thought it was a dumb idea, going back to Disney World, but his parents had seemed so set on trying to cheer him up that he hadn't had the heart to turn them down.

"I don't know if this ride's going to be all it's cracked up to be, but it's nice waiting inside," he said, trying to get the worried look off of his mom's face.  He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "It's...good. Thanks."

"I thought of you when it opened last year—no, ’77. The year before last. You would have been mad about it when you were younger," Henry said quietly. He was watching them with a small, wistful smile. "A space ride. Remember when all you wanted were books about rocket ships?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Henry ducked his head, but smiled. When he got that look on his face it was impossible to think of him as anything but Abe's dad; that was the face of any doting father embarrassing his family in public. He liked it better than the other look he'd been seeing a lot of in the past month-- the worried father, trying to be stoic but not too good at it.

He was jealous of them sometimes-- of course he was. He knew it was hard on his mom, being married to a guy who looked twenty years younger than her even on his worst days, but they still loved each other.

Abe and Maureen hadn't ever been going to be anything like his parents, but he'd thought whatever they were, it would last longer than this.

He felt like a jerk, being jealous of his own parents. All they'd done since the divorce was take care of him, and he'd needed it. He'd been a mess. He was still a little bit of a mess.

But before he could get too self-pitying, the line pushed them forward one more time, leaving them next to be strapped in. And then they were in, and the car was clanking slowly up the rails toward a painting of the solar system, all out of scale but still amazing.  Abe could feel the anticipation of the drop in his stomach, growing a little with every second.

And the car plunged into the dark.

Somewhere around the second turn he forgot that he was still sore about Maureen, and then as they plunged down a short drop he forgot that he was too old to be having fun.

It was over too soon, Abe barely registering that they'd stopped before he was shooed out of the coaster car, tripping over his own feet and laughing. He turned to help Abigail out of her seat, Henry following behind, and Abe plunged out the exit and into the sunlight with the intent of getting right back into the line.

Abigail was laughing just as happily as he was, and they leaned on each other, blind and giddy.

"Hey, buddy," someone said, tapping Abe on the shoulder. "I think your brother's in a bad way."

"Huh-?" he blinked, seeing the fuzzy face of the passerby, the fuzzy silhouette of his mom, and the absence of Henry. The stranger pointed, and Abe saw Henry crouching against the wall, shoulders heaving.

Even sunblind, Abe could see that Henry was pale, and he shared one worried glance with his mother before they hurried over.

"I'm all right," Henry gasped, before they could get a word out. "I'm all right."

"No you aren't," Abigail said firmly, stooping beside him and touching her hand to his forehead. "You're white as a sheet, and your skin's freezing."

"It was a bit of a shock. That's all. I'm fine."

"What happened to 'I rode the first roller coaster in Paris,' huh?" Abe demanded, clasping Henry's hand. "'When I rode the Cyclone in '27'?"

"I hadn't realized it would be dark. I couldn't see where we were going," Henry gasped, clinging to his hand. "It felt like-- nevermind."

"You okay?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine," Henry repeated, a little more convincingly this time. "I just don't think I'd like to do that again."

"You don't have to," Abigail assured him. "We won't ride it again."

"Abigail-" he looked up, dismay written all over his expressive face. "Don't sit it out on my account. I saw how happy the pair of you were."

"C'mon-- Henry," Abe said, stopping the 'dad' from popping out of his mouth just in time. "There are other rides."

"And we'll ride them in due course. But I won't have you sit this out because I've had a bad turn." Henry's color was coming back, and he let go of Abe's hand very deliberately to stand up under his own power. "I propose a division of labor. The pair of you go wait in line for Space Mountain and enjoy yourselves thoroughly. And when you've returned I'll have a treat for you both and a cup of something cold."

"Henry, that's hardly fair-" Abigail started.

"You're right. I have the better end of the bargain," Henry said, his eyes softening. "I'll get to see you smiling that way again; all you'll get is an icecream."

"Henry," Abigail scoffed, obviously pleased despite herself.

Abe rolled his eyes. His parents were ridiculously corny. He knew Henry meant every word, though: even if Abigail could pass for his mother, Henry thought she was the most perfect woman in the world, bar none. He really was satisfied just to see his wife and son smiling like loons.

All right, Abe was jealous.

But he was happy for them. And ... you know what, maybe he was a little too old for Disney, but he was happy he’d come.

 

 


End file.
